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If you are one of the consumers who have placed a freeze on their credit reports, we commend you for taking your identity protection seriously. As an expert in the field of identity theft and crime, ITRC recommends credit freezes for certain potential and existing victims of identity crime. While a credit freeze provides almost exclusively benefits, there is a down side consumers should be aware of: a credit freeze can block your Medicare application.

Individuals applying for Medicare benefits used to rely on an easy process through the Social Security administration in order to apply. Now, however, in an effort to protect people’s sensitive data, the SSA requires a whole new account called a My Social Security account to apply for Medicare.

Consumers cannot create a My Social Security account without unfreezing their credit reports. Credit freezes can be thawed so this is a matter of minor inconvenience, but it does take additional time. If applying for Medicare online, consumers will need to first thaw their credit reports and plan for the additional time this will take.

There is some good news, if you need to unfreeze your credit report the SSA only needs access to your Equifax report at this time. You will not need to unlock the other two credit reports if you have already frozen those.

If you are in a time crunch for Medicare application, visit your local SSA office and apply in person. There is a small laundry list of items you will need to bring with you as proof of your identity, of course, but usually a valid driver’s license and passport will be enough. ITRC recommends calling ahead to determine the needed documents to help save time and streamline the process.

Remember, after your Medicare application is accepted re-freeze your credit report with Equifax to help minimize the likelihood of identity theft. While you are taking some time to address your frozen report, remember to request your once-a-year free copy of your credit report in order to look for any unusual activity that could be a sign of identity theft or fraud.

Contact the Identity Theft Resource Center for toll-free, no-cost assistance at (888) 400-5530. For on-the-go assistance, check out the free ID Theft Help App from ITRC.

To date, 33 states have passed laws for allowing consumers to place a freeze on credit reports for protected consumers. The definition of a protected consumer differs by state but generally includes children under 18 years old or children under 16 years old, and any individual who has a legal guardian or conservator. While most states allow you to place a freeze if a credit report already exists due to identity theft, the following 33 states will allow you to create a credit report for your child proactively when no credit report exists, then freeze it:

Arkansas

Arizona

California

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Michigan

Minnesota

Montana

Nebraska

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

Oregon

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Virginia

Vermont

Washington

Wisconsin

The National Conference of State Legislatures has a chart that lists each state and the corresponding laws/fees. Please note that most states allow for no fees if the individual requesting a freeze (or his/her parent or guardian) can prove he/she is a victim of identity theft. If you have questions about checking to see if your child has a credit report and how to freeze a report with each credit reporting agency, read our how-to here.

Due to Senate Bill 2155, as of September 21, 2018 residents in all 50 states will be able to place a credit freeze on their, and their child’s, credit report and request that a credit report for a protected consumer (which includes children under the age of 16) be created and frozen if a credit report does not exist.

This info sheet should not be used in lieu of legal advice. Any requests to reproduce this material, other than by individual victims for their own use, should be directed to itrc@idtheftcenter.org. Copyright, Identity Theft Resource Center®, all rights reserved.